Shloka 8
The Jyeṣṭha Full-Moon Vow, the Birth of the Maruts, and the Outline of Secondary Creation
Manvantaras
भीष्म उवाच । श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं ब्रह्मन्ज्येष्ठस्य पूर्णिमाव्रतम् । सुतानेकोनपंचाशद्येन लेभे पुनर्दितिः
bhīṣma uvāca | śrotumicchāmyahaṃ brahmanjyeṣṭhasya pūrṇimāvratam | sutānekonapaṃcāśadyena lebhe punarditiḥ
ภีษมะกล่าวว่า “ข้าแต่พราหมณ์ ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนาจะฟังพรตวันเพ็ญแห่งเดือนเชษฐะ ซึ่งด้วยพรตนั้น ทิติได้บุตรกลับมาอีกสี่สิบเก้าคน”
Bhīṣma
Concept: Śravaṇa (hearing) of vrata-kathā is itself meritorious and is the gateway to correct observance; extraordinary phala is presented as a precedent to inspire faith.
Application: Before adopting a practice, learn it properly from a reliable source; let inspiring exemplars strengthen resolve without turning practice into mere transaction.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Bhīṣma, austere and radiant with warrior-ascetic dignity, sits respectfully before Pulastya, hands folded, requesting the full account of the Jyeṣṭha Pūrṇimā vow. Behind them, a full-moon disc motif appears in the sky or on a ritual banner, hinting at the vow’s lunar power and the marvel of forty-nine sons regained by Diti.","primary_figures":["Bhīṣma","Pulastya (as the addressed Brahman-sage)","Diti (as a faint narrative vignette or symbolic presence)"],"setting":"A sage’s hermitage or teaching pavilion with palm-leaf manuscripts, a low seat, and a visible moon motif; optionally a split-scene vignette showing Diti receiving sons as a symbolic backdrop.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["silver white","midnight blue","saffron","bronze","pearl gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Bhīṣma in dignified posture with subtle gold armor accents, Pulastya enthroned as a sage with gold-leaf halo, a large gold-embellished full moon in the upper panel, ornate borders, rich reds and greens, gem-like highlights on manuscripts and ritual vessels, devotional gravitas.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: moonlit teaching scene with cool blues and silvers, Bhīṣma seated respectfully, Pulastya calm and luminous, delicate trees and a pale moon, refined facial features, a small inset vignette of Diti with many sons suggested through symbolic repetition rather than literal crowding.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, deep blue background with a stylized white moon, Bhīṣma and Pulastya facing each other in formal dialogue, warm red-yellow-green garments, ornamental borders, expressive eyes emphasizing inquiry and compassion.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central dialogue panel framed by lotus and floral borders, a prominent full-moon medallion above, deep indigo cloth ground with gold detailing, peacocks and cows at margins, Bhīṣma and Pulastya rendered as devotional figures in a narrative register, intricate textile patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft conch shell","night insects","gentle breeze","page-turn of palm-leaf manuscript"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्रोतुमिच्छामि = श्रोतुम् + इच्छामि; इच्छाम्यहम् = इच्छामि + अहम् (इ + अ → य); ब्रह्मन्ज्येष्ठस्य = ब्रह्मन् + ज्येष्ठस्य (न् + ज् संयोग); सुतानेकोनपञ्चाशत् = सुतान् + एकोनपञ्चाशत् (न् + ए → न).
FAQs
Bhīṣma asks a Brahman (sage) to explain the Jyeṣṭha full-moon (Pūrṇimā) vow and its power, specifically noting that it enabled Diti to obtain forty-nine sons again.
Diti is a well-known maternal figure in Purāṇic genealogies; here she is cited as an example of the vow’s efficacy—she is said to have regained/obtained forty-nine sons through this observance.
It introduces the Purāṇic theme that disciplined religious observances (vratas), performed with faith and proper procedure, are believed to yield significant results—framing the upcoming teaching as a practical path of dharma.